# Is "Photo Finish" by Ngaio Marsh a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Photo Finish by Ngaio Marsh (Collins, 1980) is identified by: First published in 1980 both in the UK by Collins Crime Club (red cloth, gilt spine lettering, 262 pp.) and in the US by Little, Brown. Both editions are dated 1980; for Marsh's late novels the UK is not automatically the true first, so precedence should be confirmed per title.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First published in 1980 both in the UK by Collins Crime Club (red cloth, gilt spine lettering, 262 pp.) and in the US by Little, Brown
- A Roderick Alleyn novel
- Verify a UK first by the Collins Crime Club imprint, 1980 dating, and a British-priced dust jacket
- Publisher imprint reads Collins
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Ngaio Marsh |
| Publisher | Collins |
| Year | 1980 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First published in 1980 both in the UK by Collins Crime Club (red cloth, gilt spine… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First published in 1980 both in the UK by Collins Crime Club (red cloth, gilt spine lettering, 262 pp.) and in the US by Little, Brown. A Roderick Alleyn novel. Verify a UK first by the Collins Crime Club imprint, 1980 dating, and a British-priced dust jacket.

## Is this the true first?
Both editions are dated 1980; for Marsh's late novels the UK is not automatically the true first, so precedence should be confirmed per title. The Collins Crime Club printing is the UK first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The Fontana paperback followed in 1981; book club editions and reprints of the hardcover follow the 1980 firsts and carry book-club markings.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Photo Finish* by Ngaio Marsh a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/photo-finish
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.